The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia
Palladius and Daiphantus, as before it is mentioned. Then gave they
themselves to consider, in what sort they might defend their causes;
for they thought it no less vain to wish death, than cowardly to fear
it, till something before morning, a small slumber taking them, they
were by and by after called up to come to the answer, of no less than
their lives imported. But in this sort was the judgment ordered. As
soon as the morning had took a full possession of the element,
Euarchus called unto him Philanax, and willed him to draw out into the
midst of the green, before the chief lodge, the throne of judgment
seat, in which Basilius was wont to sit, and according to their
customs, was ever carried with the prince. For Euarchus did wisely
consider the people to be naturally taken with exterior shows, far
more than with inward consideration of the material points. And
therefore in this new entry into so entangled a matter, he would leave
nothing which might be either an armour or an ornament unto him, and
in these pompous ceremonies he well knew a secret of government much
to consist. That was performed by the diligent Philanax, and therein
Euarchus did set himself all clothed in black, with the principal men
who could in that suddenness provide themselves of such mourning
raiments; the whole people commanded to keep an orderly silence of
each side, which was duly observed of them, partly for the desire they
had to see a good conclusion of these matters, and partly stricken
with admiration, as well at the grave and princely presence of
Euarchus, as at the greatness of the cause which was then to come in
question. As for Philanax, Euarchus would have done him the honour to
sit by him, but he excused himself, desiring to be the accuser of the
prisoners in his master’s behalf; and therefore since he made himself
a party, it was not convenient for him to sit in the judicial place.
Then was it a while deliberated, whether the two young ladies should
be brought forth in open presence: but that was stopped {597} by
Philanax, whose love and faith did descend from his master to his
children, and only desired the smart should light upon the others,
whom he thought guilty of his death and dishonour, alleging for this,
that neither wisdom would they should be brought in presence of the
people, which might hereupon grow to new uproars, nor justice required
they should be drawn to any shame till somebody accused them. And as
for Pamela, he protested the laws of Arcadia would not allow any
judgment of her, although she herself were to determine nothing till
age or marriage enabled her. Then the king’s body being laid upon a
table, just before Euarchus, and all covered over with black, the
prisoners, namely, the queen and two young princes, were sent for to
appear in the protector’s name: which name was the cause they came not
to knowledge, how near a kinsman was to judge of them, but thought him
to be some nobleman, chosen by the country in this extremity. So
extraordinary a course had the order of the heavens produced at this
time, that both nephew and son were not only prisoners, but unknown to
their uncle and father, who of many years had not seen them. And
Pyrocles was to plead for his life before that throne, in which throne
lately before he had saved the king’s life.
But first was Gynecia led forth in the same weeds that the day and
night before she had worn, saving that instead of Zelmane’s garment in
which she was found, she had cast on a long cloak which reached to the
ground, of russet coarse cloth, with a poor felt hat which almost
covered all her face, most part of her goodly hair, on which her hands
had laid many a spiteful hold, so lying upon her shoulders, as a man
might well see had no artificial carelessness. Her eyes down on the
ground, of purpose not to look on Pyrocles’s face, which she did not
so much shun, for the unkindness she conceived of her own overthrow as
for the fear those motions in this short time of her life should be
revived, which she had with the passage of infinite sorrows mortified.
Great was the compassion the people felt to see their princess’s state
and beauty so deformed by fortune and her own desert, whom they had
ever found a lady most worthy of all honour.
But by and by the sight of the other two prisoners drew most of the
eyes to that spectacle. Pyrocles came out led by Sympathus, clothed,
after the Greek manner, in a long coat of white velvet reaching to the
small of his leg, with great buttons of diamonds all along upon it;
his neck without any collar, not so much as hidden with a ruff, did
pass the whiteness of his garments, which was not much in fashion
unlike to the crimson raiment our Knights of the Order[b5-01] first
put on. On his feet he had nothing {598} but slippers, which, after
the ancient manner, were tied up with certain laces, which were
fastened under his knee, having wrapped about, with many pretty knots,
his naked legs. His fair auburn hair, which he wore in great length,
and gave at that time a delightful show, with being stirred up and
down with the breath of a gentle wind, had nothing upon it, but a
white ribbon, in those days used for a diadem. Which rolled once or
twice about the uppermost part of his forehead, fell down upon his
back, closed up at each end with the richest pearls were to be seen in
the world. After him followed another nobleman, guiding the noble
Musidorus, who had upon him a long cloak, after the fashion of that
which we call the apostle’s mantle, made of purple satin; not that
purple which we now have, and is but a counterfeit of the Getalian
purple, which yet was far the meaner in price and estimation, but of
the right Tyrian purple, which was nearest to a colour betwixt our
murrey and scarlet. On his head, which was black and curled, he wore a
Persian tiara, all set down with rows of so rich rubies, that they
were enough to speak for him that they had to judge of no mean
personage.
In this sort, with erected countenances, did these unfortunate princes
suffer themselves to be led, showing aright, by the comparison of them
and Gynecia, how to divers persons compassion is diversly to be
stirred. For as to Gynecia, a lady known of great estate, and greatly
esteemed, the more miserable representation was made of her sudden
ruin, the more men’s hearts were forced to bewail such an evident
witness of weak humanity: so to these men, not regarded because
unknown, but rather, besides the detestation of their fact, hated as
strangers, the more they should have fallen down in an abject
semblance, the more, instead of compassion, they should have got
contempt: but therefore were to use, as I may term it, the more
violence of magnanimity, and so to conquer the expectation of the
lookers with an extraordinary virtue. And such effect indeed it
wrought in the whole assembly, their eyes yet standing as it were in
balance to whether of them they should most direct their sight.
Musidorus was in stature so much higher than Pyrocles as commonly is
gotten by one year’s growth. His face, now beginning to have some
tokens of a beard, was composed to a kind of manlike beauty. His
colour was of a well-pleasing brownness, and the features of it such
as they carried both delight and majesty: his countenance severe, and
promising a mind much given to thinking. Pyrocles of a pure
complexion, and of such a cheerful favour as might seem either a
woman’s face in a boy, or an excellent boy’s face in a woman. His look
gentle and bashful, which bred the more admiration, having showed such
notable {599} proofs of courage. Lastly, though both had both, if
there were any odds, Musidorus was the more goodly, and Pyrocles the
more lovely. But as soon as Musidorus saw himself so far forth led
among the people, that he knew to a great number of them his voice
should be heard, misdoubting their intention to the Princess Pamela,
of whom he was more careful than of his own life, even as he went,
though his leader sought to interrupt him, he thus with a loud voice
spoke unto them.
“And is it possible, O Arcadians,” said he, “that you can forget the
natural duty you owe to your Princess Pamela? Hath this soil been so
little beholden to her noble ancestors? Hath so long a time rooted no
surer love in your hearts to that line? Where is that faith to your
prince’s blood which hath not only preserved you from all dangers
heretofore, but hath spread your fame to all the nations of the world?
Where is that justice the Arcadians were wont to flourish in, whose
nature is to render to everyone his own? Will you now keep the right
from your prince, who is the only giver of judgment, the key of
justice, and life of your laws? Do you hope in a few years to set up
another race, which nothing but length of time can establish? Will you
reward Basilius’s children with ungratefulness, the very poison of
manhood? Will you betray your long settled reputation with the foul
name of traitors? Is this your mourning for your king’s death, to
increase his loss with his daughter’s misery? Imagine your prince doth
look out of the heavens unto you, what do you think he could wish more
at your hands than that you do well by his children? and what more
honour I pray you can you do to his obsequies than to satisfy his soul
with a loving memory, as you do his body with an unfelt solemnity?
What have you done with the Princess Pamela? Pamela, the just
inheritrix of this country, Pamela, whom this earth may be happy that
it shall be hereafter said, she was born in Arcadia; Pamela, in
herself your ornament, in her education your foster child, and every
way your only princess, what account can you render to yourselves of
her? truly I do not think that you all know what is become of her: so
soon may a diamond be lost: so soon may the fairest light in the world
be put out. But look, look unto it, O Arcadians, be not so wilfully
robbed of your greatest treasure, make not yourselves ministers to
private ambitions, who do but use yourselves to put on your own yokes.
Whatsoever you determine of us, who I must confess are but strangers,
yet let not Basilius’s daughters be strangers unto you. Lastly,
howsoever you bar her from her public sovereignty, which if you do,
little may we hope of equity where rebellion reigns, yet deny not that
child’s right unto her, that she may come and do the last duties to
her father’s body. Deny not that happiness, if in such a case there be
{600} any happiness, to your late king, that his body may have his
last touch of his dearest child.”
With such like broken manner of questions and speeches, was Musidorus
desirous, as much as in passing by them he could, to move the people
to tender Pamela’s fortune. But at length, by that they came to the
judgment-place, both Sympathus and his guider had greatly satisfied
him, with the assurance they gave him, this assembly of people had
neither meaning nor power to do any hurt to the princess, whom they
all acknowledged as their sovereign lady. But that the custom of
Arcadia was such, till she had more years, the state of the country to
be guided by a protector, under whom, he and his fellow were to
receive their judgment. That eased Musidorus’s heart of his most
vehement care, when he found his beloved lady to be out of danger. But
Pyrocles as soon as the queen of the one side, he and Musidorus of the
other, were stayed before the face of their judge, having only for
their bar the table whereon the king’s body lay, being nothing less
vexed with the doubt of Philoclea, than Musidorus was for Pamela, in
this sort with a lowly behaviour, and only then like a suppliant, he
spoke to the protector:
“Pardon me, most honoured judge,” saith he, “that uncommanded I begin
my speech unto you, since both to you and me, those words of mine